Bobbin-clutching means for rotatable spindles



PATENTED SEPT. 20, 1904.

P. H. THOMPSON. BOBBIN GL'UTGHING MEANS FOR ROTATABLE SPINDLES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 15, 1904.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented September 20, 1904. v

PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK H. THOMPSON, OF MILFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO SAWYER SPINDLE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

BOBBlN-CLUTCHING MEANS FOR ROTATABLE SPINDLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 770,402, dated September 20, 1904:.

Application filed July 16, 1904. Serial No. 216,803. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK H. THOMPSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Milford, county of Worcester, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Bobbin-Olutching Means for Rotatable Spindles, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object the production of novel and efiicient cen trifugally-acting means for retaining or clutching a yarn-receiver or bobbin upon a rotatable spinning, twisting, or other similar spindle while the yarn is spun upon such yarn-receiver.

The construction possesses simplicity, cheapness of construction, and efliciency in its operation, the parts of the clutching device being few in number and being retained in position upon the spindle in a novel manner capable of ready assemblage.

The various novel features of my invention will be fully described in the subjoined specification and particularly pointed out in the following claims.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rotatable spindle provided with one embodiment of my present invention, a portion of a bobbin being shown in section in operative position on the spindle. Fig. 2 is a view in elevation and partial section of the spindle with the clutching means in section. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are views of one of the clutching members, Fig. 4 being a transverse section on the line 4 4, Fig. 3. Figs. 6 and 7 are perspective and under side views, respectively, of the upper motion-limiting raceway and combined looking and separating device; and Fig. 8 is a transverse section on the line 8 8, Fig. 1, looking upward.

I have herein illustrated my invention in connection with a rotatable sleeve whirl spindle A, having its whirl W connected therewith by asleeve w, provided with a fiat circular head w, which also forms a bobbin-rest, as shown in Fig. 1.

The head is provided with an annular recess 10 in its top concentric with the spindle and with an elongated sleeve .1, forced upon the spindle and extended into the recess, leaving an annular clearance or motion-limiting raceway 2, into which the lower ends of the clutching members are loosely inserted. Each clutching member comprises an elongated body 3, concavo-convex in cross-section and of substantially uniform thickness, stamped or died out of sheet metal and having an upwardly and inwardly curved head 4, cut out at its upper edge at 5 to partly embrace the spindle. Sufficient metal is left at each longitudinal edge of the body to form a lip or prong 6, which lips are bent inward toward each other on the inner concave face of the body, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4, at or near the point where the body joins the head 4.

I have shown three clutch members herein, each in cross-section being a segment somewhat less than one-third of a complete circle to leave a clearance between the upright edges of the members when assembled, as shown in Figs. 1 and 8.

A motion-limiting and combined locking and separating device is mounted fixedly upon the spindle above the upper end of the sleeve 1 and cooperates loosely with the lips or prongs 6 of the several clutching members. Said device is shown separately in Figs. 6 and 7 as a collar 7 adapted to embrace the spindle with a driving tit and having a depending peripheral flange 8, provided with three equidistant upright notches 9. The length of a flangesegment between two adjacent notches 9 is such as will loosely enter between the two lips 6 of a clutch member, as shown best in Fig. 8, so that the said members are laterally separated from each other, the lips 6 passing inward through the notches and thence behind the intervening portions of the flange. Owing to the distance between the lips and the adjacent concave face of the clutch member to which they belong and the thinness of the flange 8 said members can move radially in and out a limited distance.

In assembling, the collar 7 is pushed part way down on the spindle, the clutch members are coupled or connected therewith around the spindle and the sleeve 1, and as the collar ends of the clutch members loosely enter the raceway 2. The upper end of the sleeve 1 is then so close to the lower edges of the lips 6 that they cannot by any possibility drop out of engagement with the flange 8, and the ends of the notches 9 above the lips effectuallylimit lifting or upward axial movement of the clutch members, preventing their withdrawal from the raceway 2. Rotation of the spindle causes the members 3 to be thrown outward by centrifugal action into driving engagement with the walls of the chamber 6, Fig. 1, in the base or head of the bobbin to effect rotation of the bobbin with the spindle. By permitting greater radial movement of the clutch members at their upper ends or heads as compared with their lower ends the bobbin is held down securely upon the bobbin rest and is prevented from lifting. The bobbin is easily applied, the curved heads 4-. of the clutch member guiding the mouth of the bobbin-chamber as the bobbin is easily pushed down upon the rest w, the clutch members moving inward to enter the bobbin-chamber.

It will be observed that there are 'no projecting points or corners on the clutch device tending to catch the thread or yarn in the doffing operation, the said clutch presenting a practically smooth curved surface when the spindle is running free.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. The combination,with a rotatable spindle having an annular motion-limiting raceway, of centrifugally acting bobbin clutching members having their lower ends loosely held therein, said members surrounding the spindle and being concavo-convex in cross-section, inturned lips at the upright edges of each member adjacent its concave face, and means fixedly attached to the spindle to project between the several pairs of lips and limit outward movement of the clutching members, said means also cooperating with the lips to eifect rotation of said members with the spindle.

2. The combination, with a rotatable spindle having an annular motion-limiting raceway, of centrifugally acting bobbin clutching members having their lower ends loosely held therein, said members surrounding the spindle and being concavo-convex in cross section, inturned lips at the upright edges of each member adjacent its concave face, and a motionlimiting device fixedly mounted on the spindle and having a depending," notched flange, the segmental portions of the flange being embraced by the lips of the clutching members, to limit their radial movement and also effect their positive bodily rotation with the spindle.

3. The combination,with a rotatable spindle having an annular motion-limiting raceway, of centrifugall y acting bobbin clutching members having their lower ends loosely held therein, said members surrounding the spindle and being concavo-convex in cross-section, each member having an upwardly and inwardly curved head and inturned lips extended toward each other adjacent the concave face of the member, and means fixedly mounted on the spindle and inclosed by the heads of the clutching members, to loosely project between pairs of lips and limit outward and axial movement of the clutch members.

4. The combination, with a rotatable spindle having an annular motion-limiting raceway, of centrifugally acting bobbin clutching members having their lower ends'loosely held therein, said members surrounding the spindle and being concavo-convex in cross-section, inturned lips at the upright edges of each member adjacent its concave face, a collar fixedly attached to the spindle and having a depending,notched annular flange the portions whereof between the notches project downward loosely between the several pairs of lips and the adjacent face of the clutching member to which they are attached, to limit radial and axial movement of said members, the sides of the notches acting upon the lips to effect bodily rotation of the clutching members with the spindle, and a sleeve surrounding the spindle and having its upper end closely approaching the flange, to substantially close the notches and prevent accidental disengagement of the lips therefrom.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK H. THOMPSON.

Witnesses:

GEORGE 01 1s DRAPER, FRANK E. DODGE, Jr. 

